Bill Sponsor
California Senate Bill 381
Session 20252026
Vital records: adoptees' birth certificates.
Active
Active
Passed Senate on Jan 27, 2026
First Action
Feb 14, 2025
Latest Action
Jan 27, 2026
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
381
State
California
Session
20252026
Sponsorship by Party
Summary
Existing law prohibits an agency from disclosing personal information that would link the information to the individual unless, among other things, the information is provided to a governmental entity by law, or the disclosure is to the individual to whom the information pertains. Existing law makes vital records related to adoptions, other than a newly issued birth certificate, available only upon the order of the superior court of the county of residence of the adopted child or of the county granting the order of adoption. This bill would authorize, beginning on July 1, 2028, the disclosure of an original birth certificate, as defined, to an adopted person, or descendant, as defined, of a deceased adopted person, would require the State Registrar to provide a copy of the original birth certificate to those persons, and would establish a process to request an original birth certificate, as specified. The bill would also require the State Registrar to create and make available to a birth parent a contact preference form on or before July 1, 2028, containing certain elections that would be available for release when a request for an original birth certificate is made. Existing law requires the clerk of the court to report the decree to the State Registrar within 5 days after a decree of adoption. Existing law requires the State Registrar to generate a new birth certificate when the State Registrar receives a report of adoption from a specified court or when the State Registrar receives a specified court order. Existing law requires the new birth certificate to bear certain information and be identical to the certificate issued to the natural parents, except, when requested by the adopting parents, the certificate is required to omit the facility of birth and the race and color of the parents. This bill would remove the adopted parents exception described above that required the certificate to omit the facility of birth and the race and color of the parents. Existing law authorizes the adopting parents to request an amended certificate that omits, among other things, the city and county of birth, or the color and race of the parents. This bill would repeal that authorization.
Actions (19)
01/27/2026
Assembly
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
01/27/2026
Senate
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly.
01/26/2026
Senate
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
01/22/2026
Senate
Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
01/22/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (January 22).
01/21/2026
Senate
Set for hearing January 22.
01/20/2026
Senate
January 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
01/16/2026
Senate
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
01/15/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (January 14).
01/14/2026
Senate
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. (Ayes 13. Noes 0.) (January 13). Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
01/07/2026
Senate
Set for hearing January 14 in HEALTH pending receipt.
01/06/2026
Senate
Set for hearing January 13.
01/05/2026
Senate
Re-referred to Coms. on JUD. and HEALTH.
01/05/2026
Senate
Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
01/05/2026
Senate
Withdrawn from committee.
01/05/2026
Senate
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on JUD.
02/26/2025
Senate
Referred to Coms. on JUD. and APPR.
02/18/2025
Senate
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 17.
02/14/2025
Senate
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Sources
Record Created
Feb 15, 2025 5:57:59 AM
Record Updated
Jan 28, 2026 8:40:02 AM